Hi Ed
@bama_edI do wonder how much of a problem this is. Over NYE, there were a few sites sitting empty in 2000 when I knew my sister had been trying to get a site. But is it a problem the rest of the year? Do those empty sites throw off the efficiency of the Fort reservations enough that Disney cares?
A couple of trips ago, amcc, I stood in the lobby and discussed the throwaway concept with a manger lady type. Basically she said they were aware of it, they looked into it, and it wasn't a big enough of a deal to mess with it.
I do think there is some truth in the concept over in the Rumors board thread to this topic that this could be a preemptive move for when the Star Wars area of DHS comes online. The abuse would be probably more rampant then.
Remember, the throwaway concept focuses on three areas:
1. A throwaway one night reservation includes parking (but the cost of a campsite now, almost year round, exceeds the cost of parking for the checkin/checkout days combined).
2. A throwaway one night reservation includes free Magic Bands for the entire party (up to 10 people at the Fort). Over the years MB have been in place, most people have a set and can reuse them. While true for newer guests who haven't been lately, this point is not as important as it once was.
3. A throwaway one night reservation allows booking FP at the 60+10 window. Which is what this proposed rule addresses. If a throwaway is booked primarily for this reason, people usually cancel within the 30-day window prior to arrival because they are staying offsite and can keep those FP anyway. This option will close according to this proposal. So when the desire for Star Wars FP was going to grow as it came online in FP, the abuse would have been probably multiplied.
Plus some people keep the throwaway reservation during their vacation. Sorry your sister couldn't get into the Fort.
Basically Disney is saying once Star Wars areas come on line, the perks go to the people who have (and keep) an on-site reservation (and all the guest spend that goes with it). Then, Disney would care (to your point). They may not now but they will. And they probably have the data to prove it.
Bama ED